quienes
kye-nays
📝 In Action
Los doctores, **quienes** trabajan en la noche, necesitan más descanso.
B1The doctors, **who** work at night, need more rest.
Ellos son los amigos **a quienes** dediqué mi libro.
B2They are the friends **to whom** I dedicated my book.
Había muchas personas, pero solo unos pocos eran **quienes** sabían la respuesta.
C1There were many people, but only a few were **those who** knew the answer.
💡 Grammar Points
People Only
Quienes always refers only to groups of people (never things or animals). It is the plural version of quien.
When to Use Quienes
You must use quienes (or quien) instead of the more common que when referring to people after a preposition (like a, con, de, para, por).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'Que' for People After Prepositions
Mistake: "Los clientes con que hablé."
Correction: Los clientes **con quienes** hablé. (Or, less formally, *con los que*). Always use *quienes* after a preposition when referring to people.
⭐ Usage Tips
Formal and Clear
Using quienes tends to sound more formal, especially when separated by commas. It makes it very clear that you are talking about the people you just mentioned.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: quienes
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'quienes'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between *quienes* and *quiénes*?
The accent mark is critical! *Quienes* (no accent) is a connector that links two parts of a sentence (a relative pronoun). *Quiénes* (with an accent) is used to ask a question, either directly (*¿Quiénes vienen?* - Who is coming?) or indirectly.
Can I use 'quienes' to refer to a single person?
No. *Quienes* is strictly plural. If you are talking about one person, you must use the singular form, *quien*.